Northern politicians such as Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and the Niger State Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu as well as most northern governors from the governing People's Democratic Party want change at the top certainly before the next elections in 2015...

In late May Transport Minister Idris Umar said that the project would begin soon and Vice-President Namadi Sambo revealed that the project finance was discussed during President Goodluck Jonthan's 8-12 July trip to China...

Vice-President Namadi Sambo a mild-mannered architect and the most senior northerner in government admitted limits to government power: 'There are no simple solutions to the complex problems' in the north...